Inspection system and method using separate processors for processing different information regarding a workpiece such as an electronic device

• US 6,185,322 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakata, Masao, Matsuoka, Kazuhiko, Ishikawa, Seiji, Hashimoto, Taizo, Okabe, Tsutomu, Nakazato, Jun, Ohyama, Yuichi, Satou, Osamu, Miyazaki, Isao, Taniguchi, Yuzo, Shimoyashiro, Sadao, Sakamoto, Yuzaburo, Hanashima, Shuichi, Ebara, Yutaka, Nagatomo, Hiroto, Muramatsu, Kimio
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHTA, BHAVESH M
• Application Number:
  US08/958,095
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 382/141-150, 348/86-87, 348/125-126
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/956 Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects contactless testing of electronic circuits G01R31/308; testing currency G07D; manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

The present invention provides data analysis stations respectively for a probing tester and an automatic particle inspection machine. And, in the data analysis station, the coordinates on which the disposition of the chips are described on a product basis are equal to those on which the locations of the defects are described. Further, the station provides a function of determining which of the chips each defect belongs to. These data analysis stations are connected through a communication line. The present invention is capable of analyzing the data on a chip basis, resulting in being able to grasp the relation between how the defects are caused on each chip and the product character of the chip.

Claims

1. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

first inspection means for inspecting defects on a work piece;

second inspection means for inspecting electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece;

first processing means for receiving and memorizing first information determined by the inspection performed by the first inspection means;

second processing means, separate from the first processing means, for receiving and memorizing second information determined by the inspection performed by the second inspection means; and

communication means connected to the first processing means and the second processing means;

wherein a first analysis on the basis of the first information memorized by the first processing means and a second analysis on the basis of the second information memorized by the second processing means are processed separately in said first and second processing means, respectively, and wherein a third analysis on the basis of the first information and the second information is processed by one of the first and second processing means by transmitting at least one of the first information and the second information through the communication means from the other of the first and second processing means.

2. An electronic device inspection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second inspection means are disposed in a first area, the first area being controlled by a clean factor, and

wherein the first and the second processing means are disposed outside of the first area.

3. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a visual inspection means for inspecting defects on a work piece;

a particle inspection means for inspecting defects on the work piece;

a probing tester means for testing electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece;

a first processing means for receiving and memorizing first defect information determined by the inspection performed by the visual inspection means and second defect information determined by the inspection performed by the particle inspection means;

a second processing means, separate from the first processing means, for receiving and memorizing electric characteristic information determined by the probing tester means; and

communication means connected to the first processing means and the second processing means;

wherein a first analysis on the basis of one of the first defect information and the second defect information and a second analysis on the basis of the electric characteristic information are processed separately in said first and second processing means, respectively, and wherein a third analysis on the basis of the electric characteristic information and one of the first defect information and the second defect information is processed by one of the first and second processing means by transmitting at least one of the electric characteristic information and one of the first defect information and the second-defect information through the communication means from the other of the first and second processing means.

4. An electronic device inspection system as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the visual inspection means and the particle inspection means and the probing tester means are disposed in a first area, the first area being controlled by a clean factor, and

wherein the first and the second processing means are disposed outside of the first area.

5. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a first inspection means for inspecting defects on a work piece;

a second inspection means for inspecting electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece;

a first analysis unit comprising receiving means for receiving first information determined by the inspection performed by the first inspection means, and memory mean for memorizing the first information received by the receiving means, analysis means for analyzing the first information memorized by the memory means, and output means for outputting a result based on the analysis performed by the analysis means;

a second analysis unit, separate from the first analysis unit, comprising receiving means for receiving a second information determined by the inspection performed by the second inspection means, memory means for memorizing the second information received by the receiving means, analysis means for analyzing the second information memorized by the memory means, and output means for outputting a result based on the analysis performed by the analysis means; and

a communication means for transmitting at least one of the first information and the second information between the first analysis unit and the second analysis unit.

6. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a first device having a first processing means for processing first information based on inspected defects on a work piece and a first output means for outputting a result of the processed first information; and

a second device having a second processing means, separate from the first processing means for processing second information based on inspected electrical characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece and a second output means for outputting a result of the processed second information; and

communication means connected to the first device and the second device so as to output a processed result on the basis of the first information and the second information by at least one of the first outputting means and the second outputting means.

7. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a first inspection machine to inspect defects on a work piece and to provide first information regarding the defects as an output;

a second inspection machine to inspect electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece and to provide second information regarding the electric characteristics as an output;

a first processor coupled to receive the first information from the first inspection machine;

a second processor, separate from the first processor, coupled to receive the second information from the second inspection machine; and

a communication line connected to the first processor and the second processor;

wherein a first analysis on the basis of the first information received by the first processor and a second analysis on the basis of the second information received by the second processor are processed separately in said first and second processors, respectively, and wherein a third analysis on the basis of the first information and the second information is processed by one of the first and second processors by transmitting at least one of the first information and the second information through the communication line from the other of the first and second processors.

8. An electronic device inspection system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second inspection machine are disposed in a first area, the first area being controlled by a clean factor, and

wherein the first and the second processors are disposed outside of the first area.

9. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a visual inspection machine to inspect defects on a work piece and to provide first defect information regarding the defects as an output;

a particle inspection machine to inspect defects on the work piece and to provide second defect information regarding the defects as an output;

a probing tester to test electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece and to provide electric characteristic information as an output;

a first processor coupled to receive the first defect information from the visual inspection machine and the second defect information from the particle inspection machine;

a second processor, separate from the first processor, coupled to receive the electric characteristic information determined from the probing tester; and

a communication line connecting the first processor and the second processor;

wherein a first analysis on the basis of one of the first defect information and the second defect information and a second analysis on the basis of the electric characteristic information are processed separately in said first and second processors, respectively, and wherein a third analysis on the basis of the electric characteristic information and one of the first defect information and the second defect information is processed by one of the first and second processors by transmitting at least one of the electric characteristic information and one of the first defect information and the second defect information through the communication line from the other of the first and second processors.

10. An electronic device inspection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the visual inspection machine and the particle inspection machine and the probing tester are disposed in a first area, the first area being controlled by a clean factor, and

wherein the first and the second processors are disposed outside of the first area.

11. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a first inspection machine to inspect defects on a work piece and to provide first information regarding the defects as an output;

a second inspection machine to inspect electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece and to provide second information regarding the electric characteristics as an output;

a first analysis unit comprising a receiver to receive first information determined by the inspection performed by the first inspection machine, a memory to memorize the first information received by the receiver, an analyzer for analyzing the first information memorized by the memory, and an output device to output a result based on the analysis performed by the analyzer;

a second analysis unit, separate from the first analysis unit, comprising a receiver to receive the second information determined by the inspection performed by the second inspection machine, a memory to memorize the second information received by the receiver, an analyzer to analyze the second information memorized by the memory, and an output device to output a result based on the analysis performed by the analyzer; and

a communication line to transmit at least one of the first information and the second information between the first analysis unit and the second analysis unit.

12. An electronic device inspection system comprising:

a first device having a first processor to process first information based on inspected defects on a work piece and a first output device to output a result of the processed first information; and

a second device having a second processor, separate from the first processor, to process second information based on inspected electrical characteristics of at least a chip of the work piece and a second output device to output a result of the processed second information; and

a communication line connecting the first device and the second device so as to output a processed result on the basis of the first information and the second information by at least one of the first outputting device and the second outputting device.

13. An electronic device inspection method comprising:

inspecting defects on a work piece with a first inspection machine;

inspecting electric characteristics of at least a chip of the work-piece with a second inspection machine;

receiving and memorizing first information determined by the inspection performed by the first inspection machine using a first processor;

receiving and memorizing second information determined by the inspection performed by the second inspection means using a second processor, separate from the first processor, and

communicating between the first processor and the second processor;

wherein a first analysis on the basis of the first information memorized by the first processor and a second analysis on the basis of the second information memorized by the second processor are processed separately in said first and second processors, respectively, and wherein a third analysis on the basis of the first information and the second information is processed by one of the first and second processors by transmitting at least one of the first information and the second information from the other of the first and second processors.

14. An electronic device inspection method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

displaying the first and second inspection machine in a first area, the first area being controlled by a clean factor, and

disposing the first and the second processors outside of the first area.